Police are investigating a complaint about a Toronto Muslim school
whose curriculum tells boys to exercise so they are “ready for
jihad,” refers to “treacherous Jews” and contrasts Islam with “the
Jews and the Nazis.”

“Yes, I can confirm for you that a complaint has been made and our
Hate Crimes Unit is investigating,” Acting Sergeant Rebecca Boyd, a
York Region Police spokeswoman, told the National Post on Monday.

“However, they are in the early stages of the investigation,” she
added. The complaint was made by the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal
Centre, which found the material on the website of the East End
Madrassah.

The Islamic school operates out of David and Mary Thomson Collegiate
Institute, a public high school in Toronto. But the complaint was
made to police in York because the Islamic school’s mailing address
is in that region.

“We are looking into it,” said Masuma Jessa, principal of the East
End Madrassah. She said the curriculum document in question had been
removed from the school’s website. Later on Monday, the entire school
website went offline.

The Toronto District School Board said in a statement it was
cooperating with police and would “take appropriate action pending
the conclusion of the investigation.”

Spokesman Ryan Bird said the board could revoke a school permit if
the holder was found to be promoting hatred. “The TDSB does not
support or tolerate any group that promotes hatred.”

The complaints concerned the school’s Level 8 curriculum, which
describe historical conflicts between Muslims and Jews. It refers
to “Jewish plots and treacheries” as well as “crafty”
and “treacherous” Jews.

Another section discusses jihad, which it says means “to strive for
something.” But it adds that jihad “sometimes also involves fighting
a war against an unjust ruler.” It then quotes Muslim scripture that
says about “fighting (in the cause of Allah) is ordained unto you…”

In “Sports and Jihad,” a section of the Level 7 curriculum, it says
Islam encouraged boys to engaged in physical training in order to be
ready for jihad, but girls were instead to stick to “hobbies” that
prepare them to become wives and mothers.

The Level 3 curriculum asks students to color 10 boxes, each
representing a branch of Islam. One of the boxes is labeled: Jihad.
Later, it explains that jihad “is not just with a weapon, it can be
with your writing and speech also,” as well as an internal struggle.

“To think that this is happening right here in Canada, in our
backyards, in our own country where we promote tolerance, diversity,
understanding, human rights, and bringing those types of concepts
over the from the ancient world if you will, its just unbelievable,”
said Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of the Friends of the Simon
Wiesenthal Centre.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also raised concerns about
the curriculum in a press release issued Monday, as well as in a
complaint to the Toronto school board.

“Using religion to promote hatred among youth is not just offensive
and abhorrent – it shows a stunning disregard for Canada’s basic
values of decency and tolerance,” said David Spiro, Greater Toronto
Co-Chair of centre.

Ms. Jessa said the complaint about the material was made on
Thursday. “We told them that we took the book off the website and
yesterday [Sunday] we had a meeting and we looked at it and we are
correcting it,” she said. “It was an error.”

She said the school was a “subsidiary” and the “parent company” had
dealt with the matter. The Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre
said the response to its complaint had come from the Islamic Shia
Ithna Asheri Jamaat, an Islamic centre on Bathurst Rd. in Toronto.

The centre’s resident scholar could not be reached for comment on
Monday. But in an email to Mr. Benlolo on Saturday, the group’s
honorary secretary, Mazahair Dhirani, promised an internal review.

“In the meantime, we have asked the book to be removed from the web
portal and there should no distribution of any physical material (if
available) until the necessary changes have been made to the text,”
he wrote.

Excerpts

“Islam has allowed boys to engage in sports for one specific reason
and that is to always keep them healthy and strong. But why should a
Muslim be healthy and strong? Firstly, it is necessary to take care
of the body because it is a gift from Allah. Secondly, so that you
may physically be ready for jihad whenever the time comes for it.”

“Islam is a dynamic, comprehensive school that aims at the
rectification of the social and economic systems of the world in a
special manner. Unlike the beliefs of the ancient Romans, the Jews,
and the Nazis, Islam is not restricted to a certain community of a
certain race, but is for all human beings…”

“No doubt any wise, humanitarian person accepts such a combat and
admires it [jihad] because there is no other way to achieve the
sacred ends of the Prophets.”

“End of Jewish Plots and Treacheries: Ever since the Prophet’s entry
into Madina, the treacherous Jews had vehemently opposed him and his
Islamic call, evoking memories of their hostility to the previous
Prophet, Jesus Christ, half a millennium ago. The crafty Jews entered
into an alliance with the polytheist Quraish in a bid to stamp out
Islam. They conspired to kill Prophet Muhammad despite the fact that
he was lenient towards them and had treated them kindly, hoping to
convince them of Islam’s truth. But eventually as Jewish plots and
aggressions increased, he had no choice other than to take up arms
against them, in order to protect Islam and the Muslims. At the
battle of Khaiber which is famous for Imam Ali’s heroic exploits, the
Prophet defeated them ending Jewish intrigues and conspiracies in
Arabia.”